Thursday, 31 May 2012

We've seen many interpretations of Olympic sporting images in the LAS Painting Challenge 20011/12 but nothing any of us produce can be compared with the exceptional photographs and sculptures at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath. Sculpture in Sport 30 bronzes each by different artists and each on a different Olympic or Paralympic sport. These are exceptionally. The exhibition runs until 1 July 2012.

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Ledbury News reports higher sales of Leisure Painter than usual. Could it be because the June issue has articles by both Terry Harrison and Fiona Peart? LAS enjoyed a demonstration from Terry last Autumn and Fiona was with us just a few months ago.

Monday, 14 May 2012

I've just seem a superb exhibition in Aberdare of contemporary art quilts by Diana Brockway. What has always struck me about her work is her gift for composition and design. I don't begin to understand the technicalities of working with textiles and threads to create well-balanced colour and tonal values. I just admire the finished result. Catherine, who went with me, was more knowledgeable as she had spent an afternoon with Diana many years ago when we lived in the same street.

Diana was an art teacher but when she retired she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She joined a patchwork and quilting class as a therapy and has obviously found this a rewarding way of displaying her artistic abilities. Many of these works of art have been prize winners in various quilting shows.

Some of her work is influenced by Harry Brockway's work. Harry is her son, a carver and wood engraver. Some of his work will be familiar to any who have visited Herefordshire Museum and Art Gallery.

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Arnold Lowrey gave a lively demonstration of acrylic painting at our May meeting. Working quickly he showed how interesting colour and shapes can make a painting.

His first demonstration was a simple cottage in a rural setting. The image on the left shows this at an early stage. Arnold was working on watercolour paper.

Arnold is obviously not interested in detail: "Paint the dog not the fleas!" His demonstration was punctuated by many amusing comments and stories.

As he began a picture with rocks and sea (finished image on right) he commented that many paintings of hills and mountains are ruined by uninteresting shapes: "Egyptian pyramids in the middle of rolling countryside". He told of the American artist, William 'Skip' Lawrence, telling a student that his painting had boring shapes. "But I painted what was there!" said the student. To which Skip responded, "Well don't go there again!".

Arnold uses a razor blade in wet paint to add interesting shapes to some of the rocks.